This anthropologist is not looking at the broader picture. H erectus is estimated to have appeared somewhere in Africa 1.9 mya. By 1.8 mya H erectus is found in Dmanisi, Georgia. Not the US state. And in Europe and Asia not long after. They dispersed from Africa in 100 kya. Or about as long as it took H sapiens to do so.

Who’s calling who lazy?

They had a long run as a successful species. In fact, they co-existed with Neanderthals and depending on your point of view, even to the time of H sapiens, as officially dated. 11.9 mya to 30 kya is longer than we’ve been around.

See also: Researchers: Homo erectus died out because he was lazy and conservative. How do we know homo erectus is extinct (as a separate group)? Well, they certainly wouldn’t have said this stuff about any living group.